Hipperholme BrickWorks
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The Hipperholme Brickworks where originally established by Henry Victor Allen. Who took over the Halifax Glazed Brick Works, which he later converted to manufacture refractory bricks. With their Selfrac refractory bricks becoming world famous.
The site spans a good few acres and is fairly remote in its location. Due to this the manufactured bricks were carried by narrow-gauge railway up the valley to the sidings at Hipperholme Railway station.
So far no real date has been found of when the brick works actually opened or indeed closed.
In recent years the site has been used for the manufacturing of plastics. But after a few suspicious fires on the site and the bankrupcy of the owners. The site has laid derelict since around 2006.
Upon entering the site the majority of the buildings look to be in good condition. Its only once you venture further in you realise the extent of the damage.
Its a mixture really of either stripped out and seemingly rather good conditioned buildings to burnt out shells and severely vandalised offices and workshops.
There were how ever a few nice surprises still lying in situ. Like the ovens used for manufacturing the bricks and a rather small conveyor system which occpied one building. Probably used for transporting the finished products???
Sadly we didnt find much in the way of their world famous Selfrac refractory bricks but instead found plenty of paper work and stationery from its last occupants. The plastics company.
A bit of a muddled site really in terms of what you would describe as a good explore. It just seems to lack something?
We couldnt make our minds up if we actually enjoyed this site. The buildings and layout of the site where ok in terms of size but inside seemed rather confused in parts.
The history of the place seems to come and go with every step you take further into the site and then disappears. Its an odd one really, theres no real atmosphere or character to the place unlike most sites have.
I think the only thing the place offers really is a unique remote location hidden deep in the woods which gives a lost in time feeling to it. Apart from that its a bit of a disappointment.
